In the manufacture of cartons, small sheets of paper material having specific profiles are cut out of larger sheets of paper material. These smaller sheets are known as carton blanks that, in turn, are formed into cartons and/or boxes. The blanks are formed during a process known as a blanking operation in a die cutting machine.
In a die cutting machine, the blanks are cut, but not removed from a large sheet of paper material. After the blanks have been cut, the sheet is moved downstream in the die cutting machine to a blanking station where the sheet is positioned over a frame assembly for support. The frame assembly includes an outer frame and an inner grid having large openings that correspond in size, in shape and in position to the profile of the carton blank previously cut. Below the frame is a mechanism for stacking the carton blanks.
At the blanking station, an upper tool is used in combination with the lower tool or frame assembly to knock the carton blanks from the sheet of paper material while holding the scrap material that surrounds the blanks. The upper tool has a support board that moves vertically up and down in the die cutting machine, and the support board typically has a plurality of stand-offs depending therefrom that hold pushers spaced beneath the board which in turn are used to push the carton blanks from the sheet through the lower tool or frame assembly. A plurality of presser assemblies are also mounted in the support board and depend therefrom to hold the scrap material against the lower tool or frame assembly during the blanking operation so that the blanks may be pushed from the sheet. A presser assembly typically includes a presser rail which is biased downwardly away from the support board by a spring so that the rail is positioned slightly below the pushers. As the upper tool is lowered, the presser rail engages the sheet of paper material first such that a scrap portion of the large sheet of material is secured between the presser rail and the frame. The upper tool then continues to be lowered such that the sheet of material engages the inner grid within the frame while at substantially the same time the pushers engage the carton blanks and knock the blanks out of the sheet of material and through the inner grid. The carton blanks then fall into a stacking mechanism below the frame where the blanks are stacked for further processing.
The lower tool used in the blanking operation is typically comprised of a steel or aluminum outer frame that supports an inner grind. The inner grid is typically comprised of a plurality of lengthwise and crosswise extending bars. In order to secure the inner grid in place on the outer frame, the ends of each bar are typically screwed onto attachment pieces which, in turn, are mounted on the lengthwise and crosswise rails of the outer frame. Since the frame and grid support a sheet of paper material during the blanking operation, the grid must be configured to match or conform to the die cut in the sheet of paper material. In addition, the grid must be reconfigured whenever a different carton blank needs to be produced. Thus, unscrewing the inner grid from the outer frame oftentimes becomes very cumbersome and time consuming.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide an improved jogger for aligning carton blanks die cut from a sheet positioned on a frame assembly for a lower blanking tool of a carton die cutting machine.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a jogger for aligning carton blanks die cut from a sheet positioned on a frame assembly that may be easily attached to and positioned along the frame assembly.
It is a still further object and feature of the invention to provide a jogger for aligning carton blanks die cut from a sheet positioned on a frame assembly which is compatible with standard blanking operation machinery and which is relatively inexpensive.
In accordance with the present invention, a jogger is provided for aligning carton blanks die cut sheets supported on an inner grid mounted to an outer frame for a lower blanking tool of a die cutting machine. The jogger includes a blank member defining a vertically extending inner face, an opposite vertically extending outer face, a horizontally extending lower face and a bore extending between the inner face and the outer face along an axis in an acute angle to the outer face. The inner face includes a recessed formed therein. A jogger element slidably received in the interface of the plate member. The jogger element is movable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein the jogger element retracts from the lower face of the plate member.
The recess in the inner face of the plate member is defined by first and second spaced vertically extending sidewalls extending from a recessed wall. The bore extends through the recessed wall. The first and second sidewall converts towards each other as the first and second sidewalls extends from the recessed wall. The jogger element is defined by vertically extending outer face slidably engaging the recessed wall, a horizontally extending upper face, an opposite horizontally extending lower face, a first end face slidably engaging the first side wall, and a second end face slidably engaging the second side wall. The first and second end face is converged toward each other as the first and second end face is extend between the outer wall and the inner wall of the jogger element.
The acute angle of the bore through the plate member is in the range of 30 degrees and 80 degrees. Preferably, the acute angle of the bore through the plate member is approximately 65 degrees. It is contemplated that the outer face of the plate member include a lip. The lip is engageable with the corresponding ledge along the outer frame to support the plate member thereon. A fastening element extends through the bore through the plate member and is receivable in a corresponding slot in the outer frame to interconnect the plate member to the outer frame. The jogger element includes a generally oblong opening therethrough for receiving a portion of the fastening element. The opening defines the limits for movement of the jogger element between the retracted and extended positions.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a jogger is provided for aligning carton blanks die cut from a sheet supported on the inner grid mounted to an outer frame for a lower blanking tool of a carton die cutting machine. The jogger plate member defining inner and outer faces. The plate member has a recessed formed therein and a bore extending between the inner face and the outer face along an axis at an acute angle to the outer face. The jogger element is positioned within the recess and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position.
The recessed is formed in the inner face and is defined by first and second extending sidewalls. The bore extends through the recessed wall. The first and second sides converge to each other as the first and second side wall extend from the recessed wall. The jogger element is defined by a vertically extending inner face, an opposite vertically extending outer face slidably engaging the recessed wall, a horizontal extending upper face, an opposite horizontally extending lower face, a first end face slidably engaging the first side wall, and a second opposite end face slidably engaging the second side wall. The first and second end faces converge toward each other as the first and second end faces extend between the outer wall and the inner wall of the jogger element.
The plate member further defines a horizontally extending upper face and an opposite horizontally extending lower face. The recess extends between the upper and lower faces of the plate member. The lower face of the jogger element is substantially flush with the lower face of the plate member with the jogger element in the retracted position.
The outer face of the plate member includes a lip. The lip is engageable with the corresponding ledge along the outer frame to support the plate member thereon. In order to interconnect the plate member to the outer frame, a fastening element extends through the bore through the plate member and is receivable in a corresponding slot in the outer frame. It is contemplated that the acute angle of the bore through the plate member is in the range of 30 degrees and 80 degrees. Preferably, the angle of the bore through the plate member is approximately 65 degrees. The jogger element includes a generally oblong opening therethrough for receiving a portion of the fastening element. The opening defines the limits for movement of the jogger element between the retracted and the extended positions.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a frame assembly is provided for a lower blanking tool of a carton die cutting machine. The frame assembly includes a rigid outer frame, an inner grid, and a plurality of joggers attached to the outer frame. The inner grid includes a plurality of length wise and crosswise extending bars. Each jogger includes a plate member, a jogger element, and a fastening element. The plate member defines inner and outer faces. A recess is formed in the plate member and a bore extends between the inner face and the outer face along an axis and an acute angle to the outer face. The jogger element is positioned within the recess and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. A fastening element extends through the bore through the plate member and is receivable in a corresponding slot in the outer frame to interconnect the plate member to the outer frame.
It is contemplated that the acute angle of the bore through each plate member is in the range of 30 degrees and 80 degrees. Preferably, the acute angle of the bore through each plate member is approximately 65 degrees. Each jogger element may include a generally oblong opening therethrough for receiving a portion of the fastening element. The opening defines a limit for movement of the jogger between the retracted and extended positions.